1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to an information presenting apparatus and method for a vehicle, for example, an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP6-255399A illustrates a prior art technique for providing an alarm to a vehicle driver, to alert the vehicle driver to the existence of a dangerous object. As taught in JP6-255399A, the alarm may include warning information identifying the dangerous object displayed on the windshield of the vehicle. Displaying warning information on the windshield essentially “spotlights” the dangerous object for the vehicle driver.
In practice, when warning information is displayed on the windshield, the vehicle driver may divert his focus from the road to look at the warning information and appreciate the presence of the dangerous object. Then, the vehicle driver may focus on the dangerous object itself in order to ascertain the distance to the dangerous object.
Thus, when a method of displaying warning information on a windshield is adopted, the vehicle driver may be required to perform a focal adjustment from the road to the dangerous object displayed on the windshield and/or from the dangerous object displayed on the windshield to the actual dangerous object.
Techniques, such as the one described in JP6-255399A, initially display the information on the windshield for the first time when the dangerous object is detected. Therefore, a driver may not necessarily react to the newly displayed information. Because the vehicle driver's focus is usually in the direction of movement of the vehicle, when the information on the windshield is first displayed, the vehicle driver may overlook the information.
Thus, in the prior art, a vehicle driver may be required to perform a focal adjustment to a dangerous object displayed on the windshield. The vehicle driver may overlook the newly displayed information, be unable to react to the newly displayed information, and/or be distracted from the actual dangerous object by the newly displayed information.